Comparison

SynthStamp vs bitcrust

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SynthStamp

Explore vintage synthesizers with fully modeled engines and familiar interfaces. Patch, save, and share your creations across devices. Features real-time effects processing and models based on iconic hardware.

Highlights
  • Fully modeled vintage synth engines
  • Patchable semi-modular synthesizer
  • Circuit-bendable sampling keyboard
  • Real-time effects processing
  • Audio Unit (AUv3) plugin support
  • Cross-device preset sharing
Features
Read full description

The Vintage Synth Playground You Can Take Anywhere SynthStamp is a celebration of the history of electronic music, featuring fully modeled engines and familiar user interfaces behind some of the most desirable synthesizers. Tap and drag to patch, save your patch as a preset, and export presets to share across all of your devices including Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Yes that's right, iPhone. Take your sound anywhere. --- Stereo audio input for realtime effects processing Model based on the ARP 2600--finally on mobile Circuit-bendable model based on the SK-1--we haven't seen one either --- Choose Your Adventure 5001 Analog Synthesizer: dynamically patchable, semi-modular, monophonic analog synthesizer from the late '70s, with stereo preamplifier. A real idea factory, from classic analog synth leads to creative sound design, this synth is a tool for exploration and experimentation. You'll truly fall in love with the snappy, milky quality of the voltage-controlled filter. B500 Sampling Keyboard: circuit-bendable ROMpler from the mid '80s, with 4-voice polyphony, multi-channel note memory, and stereo sampler. Bend, sample, and compose melodies with this portable gem. Combine with continuous live sampling to create sounds that simply shouldn't exist. Flexibly Configurable, Infinitely Creative SynthStamp can be run as a standalone application or as an Audio Unit (AUv3) plugin inside supported DAWs, either as an Instrument with mono side chain input, or as a Music Effect on stereo/mono audio tracks for realtime processing, with full MIDI support. Presets can be imported and exported for easy sharing across devices, while on the same device, presets are stored in a common location across standalone and Audio Unit installations for shared access. Privacy Policy: https://themusicologygroup.com/privacy/

About

bitcrust

This application offers a polyphonic synthesizer with a SID-style voice architecture, featuring multiple oscillators, ring modulation, and hard sync. It provides extensive modulation capabilities and a post-synthesis effects rack, extending its sonic range beyond traditional chip synths.

Highlights
  • 12-voice polyphony
  • 3 oscillators per voice with SID-style behavior
  • Extensive modulation matrix
  • 6-slot post-SID FX rack
  • 16-step sequencer and arpeggiator
  • AUv3 and Standalone support
Features
Read full description

bitcrust is a polyphonic synthesizer built around a SID-style voice architecture: three oscillators per voice, up to twelve voices, with ring mod, hard sync, and the pulse-width behaviour that defined a generation of 8-bit sound. The DSP is an in-house, clean-room implementation written from the public MOS 6581 register map and general DSP literature — not an emulator port — so bitcrust sounds SID-adjacent without inheriting the license constraints that keep most SID-inspired tools off the major app stores. Sonically the plugin sits between a chip synth and a modern subtractive. The voice core can still do gritty arp basses, zap leads, and 8-bit percussion, but the surrounding architecture — three LFOs, a per-voice modulation envelope, an 8-slot modulation matrix, and a 6-slot post-SID FX rack with drive, bitcrusher, tempo-synced delay, chorus, reverb, compressor, and limiter — extends it into pad, keys, and texture territory. Universal Purchase: one price buys the Mac Standalone plus the iPad AUv3. The iPad build is a co-equal target, not a downscale — the full 113-preset factory library, all 14 themes, and the complete mod matrix / FX rack ship on both platforms. Voice core: 12-voice polyphony, 3 oscillators per voice, SID-style triangle / saw / pulse / noise with hard sync and ring mod, per-VCO ADSR Filter: global VCF (LP / BP / HP) with live curve, selectable 6581 / 8580 chip model, Vintage vs. Modern oscillator mode Modulation: 3 global LFOs (7 shapes, host-sync or Hz), per-voice mod envelope, 8-slot matrix, MIDI sources (velocity, poly AT, channel AT, mod wheel, pitch bend) FX rack: 6 slots, drag-to-reorder, per-slot bypass / mix; effect types Drive (5 modes), Bitcrusher, Delay (tempo-sync), Chorus, Reverb, Compressor, Limiter — every FX parameter is a modulation destination MIDI: 16-step sequencer, arpeggiator (Up / Down / UpDown / Random, 6 rate divisions, octave range), MIDI Learn on every knob, note Hold Presets: 113 factory patches across 10 groups, full-metadata save (author, description, tags), Preset Preview audition without committing, A/B snapshot compare, XML import / export UI: 6-tab navigation, 14 themes with optional phosphor / CRT overlays, monitor strip (oscilloscope, vectorscope, FFT spectrum, 3D spectrogram, stereo field), QWERTY note typing from any tab Mac: Standalone app with universal binary (Apple Silicon + Intel). iPad: AUv3 extension plus a Standalone for headphone jamming. A supported AUv3 host is required for in-DAW use on iPad (GarageBand, Logic Pro for iPad, AUM, Cubasis, etc.). Support: https://anode-labs.com/bitcrust · support@anode-labs.com Privacy policy: https://anode-labs.com/privacy What's new in 1.0.0: First release.

Screenshots

SynthStamp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SynthStamp at every 5 days against bitcrust's every 2 weeks. SynthStamp also leads on device support (3 vs 1). bitcrust's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SynthStamp costs $4.99 and bitcrust $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SynthStamp against 4.3 for bitcrust. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 6 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SynthStamp ships an update every 5 days, bitcrust every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SynthStamp versus bitcrust: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynthStampbitcrust
Price$4.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.4 (12 ratings) — better4.3 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Musicology Group, Inc.Michele Caserta

In-app purchases

None

SynthStamp

No in-app purchases

None

bitcrust

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SynthStamp free?
SynthStamp costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is bitcrust free?
bitcrust costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SynthStamp or bitcrust?
SynthStamp is rated higher. SynthStamp averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while bitcrust averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.
Do SynthStamp or bitcrust have ads?
Neither SynthStamp nor bitcrust shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SynthStamp or bitcrust?
SynthStamp ships an update every 5 days, and bitcrust every 2 weeks. Most recently, SynthStamp was updated on September 18, 2026 and bitcrust on July 8, 2026.

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